News Release 05-03

KCC assesses $43,300 in fines against 31 motor carriers

The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) assessed $43,300 in fines and penalties against 31 motor carriers for violations of Commission rules and regulations during the second-quarter of the state’s fiscal year 2005 (October 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004). The violations were discovered during Safety Compliance Audits of 126 motor carriers, performed by the Commission’s Transportation Division.

The Commission fined:

Ric-A-Sha Trucking, Inc., Caldwell, Kansas $2,750 for five safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program; allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report, and to make false entries in the record of duty status.

Lawrence Landscape, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas $3,000 for five safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program; failing to maintain a complete driver qualification file on each driver employed; allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report, and operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Sioux Tank Service, L.L.C., Greensburg, Kansas $4,000 for five safety violations. The violations include failure to complete a background investigation within 30 days for controlled substance and/or alcohol misuse by a driver, failure to complete a background investigation within 30 days of drivers previous 10 year work history, failure to make a record of duty reflecting a driver’s start/end times and total hours, and for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection and with serious safety items listed in the driver vehicle inspection report.

Simpson & Associates, Inc., Wichita, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Conco, Inc., Wichita, Kansas $1,500 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program and for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Freddy Van Construction, Pittsburg, Kansas $1,000 for three safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program, failure to maintain minimum records of vehicle inspection and maintenance, and for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

D & S Grain & Cattle Co., Inc., Oberlin, Kansas $1,250 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program and for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Rite Way Concrete, Fredonia, Kansas $500 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate and without a periodic inspection.

Midwest Irrigation Systems, Inc., St. Mary’s, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Fisher Freight, Inc., St. John, Kansas $250 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle more than 14 hours without 10 hours off-duty.

Douglas Sager, Bird City, Kansas $1,800 for three safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program; allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle with a vehicle weight in excess of the maximum gross weight allowed by law, and without a periodic inspection.

Berry’s Arctic Ice, LLC, Topeka, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

K & W Barnes Trucking, Inc., Havensville, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Shaw Motor Co., Inc., Grainfield, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violation. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle transporting hazardous material without documentation on file of the drivers’ hazardous material training and transporting hazardous materials in a non-specification cargo tank.

HDB Construction, Inc. d.b.a. Alonzo Harrison, Topeka, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate.

Business Visions International d.b.a. Bruce E. McAllister, Wichita, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to register with the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) while transporting quantities of hazardous materials requiring a placard advisory and for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Jose Salizar d.b.a. Salizar Trucking, Garden City, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Shawnee Biscuit Company, Edwardsville, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violations. The violations include failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed and for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Rex Sandlian, Wichita, Kansas $500 for failure to maintain driver qualification files for each driver employed.

M & H Trucking, Augusta, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

JRB Industries, Inc., Parsons, Kansas $250 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Harvest Transport, Sublette, Kansas $7,000 for three safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle that had been placed and marked out-of-service on two occasions and for allowing or requiring a driver to make a false entry on his/her record of duty status.

Raymond Acheson, Effingham, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first obtaining operating authority.

Gary D. Farris d.b.a. Farris Trucking, Rose Hill, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Ronnie Diehl, Salina, Kansas $2000 for three safety violations. The violations include failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed, allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report and for failing to maintain a complete driver qualification file on each driver employed.

Stagestop Ventures Co., Goodland, Kansas $1,000 for two safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate and to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Ray Tankersley d.b.a. Diamond T. Trucking, Leoti, Kansas $1,000 for failure to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Hall Industrial Services, Inc., Wichita, Kansas $2,500 for three safety violations. The violations include allowing or requiring a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle without first having a valid medical examiners certificate, complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report, and operate a commercial motor vehicle without a periodic inspection.

Less Trucking, Inc., Mount Hope, Kansas $500 for allowing or requiring a driver to complete a trip without completing a driver vehicle inspection report.

Larry Prawl and Jodie Prawl d.b.a. Hi Plains / J&L Mobile Home Parts and Service, Inc., Ogden, Kansas $1,000 for failing to implement an alcohol and/or controlled substance testing program for each driver employed.

Poser Business Forms, Inc., d.b.a. Print Xcel, Girard, Kansas $500 for failing to maintain a complete driver qualification file on each driver employed.

The Transportation Division offers free compliance seminars. The seminars are held in Topeka, Hutchinson, Hays, and Garden City. All seminars begin at 9:00 a.m. and last approximately two hours. These seminars are presented by the Commission’s Transportation staff and are designed to help motor carriers comply with safety and economic regulations. The seminar schedule is available on the Commission’s website at www.kcc.state.ks.us or by calling 785.271.3231 for information.

The KCC Transportation Division is responsible for regulating public and private motor carriers in Kansas. The Commission’s goal is to ensure appropriate and effective regulation and oversight of motor carriers and protect the public interest and safety.

Release No. 02-2005